


Taxidermy

by Iceshillendrig



Category: ATEEZ (Band)
Genre: Horror, Not Beta Read
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-24
Updated: 2020-12-24
Packaged: 2021-03-10 23:08:08
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,345
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28285230
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Iceshillendrig/pseuds/Iceshillendrig
Summary: It was called Taxidermy. A tiny clothing store that little to no one seemed to pay mind.
Comments: 4
Kudos: 10





	Taxidermy

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! Sorry it isn't porn (and extremely wrong timing) this time around. 
> 
> Inspiration came from one of their Idol Radio appearances. Won't say which to avoid spoilers XD
> 
> No one cares but this is my attempt on going back to what I was comfortable writing with before I turned into a kpop stan and became horny 24/7
> 
> Based on my own childhood fear if you could tell. Hopefully got over it!
> 
> With that out of the way, enjoy (or not)

Hongjoong brought a painted finger to press at his lips as he focused on navigating through the mall to find his destination. 

'Sorry I flaked out on you yesterday. I'm gonna come by your dorm tomorrow okay?' 

He presses send on the text he typed out. Usually it would only take two minutes before his phone lit up with a reply from his buddy. But it's been a day since Wooyoung last messaged Hongjoong.

The younger of the two had asked him to join him buy a gift for his mother. The older of the two had declined out of laziness, but the lack of contact had made him feel a tad bit guilty about it now.

So here he was, wearing his non-prescription glasses and his strawberry-designed beret, currently in front of the store Wooyoung had told him about.

It was called Taxidermy. A tiny clothing store that little to no one seemed to pay mind.

The store front had a 'Hottest Arrivals! Changes Every Day!' sticker pasted on the display window. The selection managed to pique Hongjoong's interest.

The mannequin displayed was posed awkwardly. It was designed to resemble a human, to the point it even had a face, probably to convey feelings into go with the outfit. But this dummy looked shock in the way it's mouth was agape.

The outfit it wore was chic and trendy, oddly complemented by the shiny gray skin of the modeling dummy. The clothes were all black from head to toe. What really brought it together was what looked like a sweater paw reformed and tailored to become a glove. 

Hongjoong had this weird feeling of familiarity from it, but it was probably because he could imagine Wooyoung wearing it. 

"Are you interested in this outfit sir?"

A deep voice grabbed his attention, the owner was one of the most gorgeous person the tiny man had ever seen in his entire life.

He seemed unreal. Skin like porcelain. And before he could deem the man perfect, he sees a splotch of pink on the side of his face that reached the corner of his eye.

_Beautiful,_ his mind supplied.

"I'd like to buy it for my friend." Hongjoong smiled at the store clerk. His nametag read 'Yeosang' 

"Please come in then, the register is on the right once you're ready with your purchase. Feel free to look around first." Yeosang says as he goes in first, Hongjoong following slightly behind him. 

He bumps into a woman who was on her way out, frantically looking left and right. 

"Have you seen my child?" She asks him, voice dripping with panic. 

Hongjoong shakes his head, and the woman leaves him be. 

Surprisingly, Taxidermy seemed alot bigger on the inside as Hongjoong's jaw dropped to the floor. It was like a fashionista's heaven in here.

"As you can see sir, the lights indicate have varying colors depending on what kind of style you want to browse. For example, you can find our summer collection where it's yellow." Yeosang monologues as he points to the corner full of bathing suits and swimming gear. 

Fuck, Hongjoong could just stare at this man and and listen to him all day. 

"Oh and also, the purple area is prohibited for non-employees. Happy shopping!" Yeosang bows to him before moving to man the cash register.

Hongjoong takes his time looking around at the clerk's suggestion. Trying on a few clothes he wanted for himself before remembering what he was really here for.

He makes his way to where the clothes he wanted for Wooyoung was, approaching the display mannequin by the window.

From the corner of his eye, he could see the worried woman a while ago talking to one of the mall cops.

"Hope she finds her kid." Hongjoong whispers to himself as he reaches for the price tag. Pricey, but nothing out of his range.

That's when he notices through the sleeveless sleeve hole, that the mannequin had some sort of scribbles on the rib area.

His eyes went as wide as saucers once he realized what was written and where he had seen the same sentence from.

It can't be.

With shaky hands, he pulls off the beret the figure wore, revealing locks of dark hair that were too shiny and life-like to even be a wig.

"W-Wooyoung?" Hongjoong whispers out his fear, before finally turning the doll around to face him-

And it had the same exact mole under it's right eye.

"What the fuck!?" Hongjoong falls back in shock, a million questions in his head as he felt his stomach churn.

He needs to get out of here. Right now. He'll have to save himself first before he can save his friend.

That's when he hears sobbing coming from the purple-lit corner of the store. "Mommy!"

It was the kid that woman lost. With fear clutching at his heart, he heads toward the source of the sound.

He doesn't know what's going on, but he has to save that child.

It seemed like he was transported into an alternate reality as he sprinted through aisles of clothing, frantically following the cries for a parent.

Soon, the sound stops. 

The purple hue of the lights in this area felt poisonous as he became short of breath, still looking for the kid.

Hongjoong takes a sharp turn to the right, expecting to find the child. 

But that's when he meets face to face with Yeosang.

"Sir, I told you customers are not allowed here in the purple section." the beautiful man's tone was suprisingly calm.

The shorter took a step back, alarms blaring in his head at the sight of the store clerk, finding the glow of his pale skin sickening and eery in the current situation.

"I- that lady a while ago was looking for her child-"

"You mean this one?" Yeosang steps aside to show Hongjoong what he asked for.

And nothing could prepare him as the same grey coating sheen from the dummies in the store quickly spread all over the child. 

The little body drops to the floor, the thud sounding like plastic as the grey soon covered the entire body.

He felt himself stiffen, bringing a hand up to stop the bile threatening to spill out from his stomach. 

Hongjoong was backing away now, Yeosang keeping the distance equal between them with every step.

"St-stay away from me!" Hongjoong cried out as he feels his back hit the emergency fire alarm, triggering the store's sprinklers.

The ring of the alarm filled his ears as his Yeosang's skin melted right before his eyes, washing away everything that made him remotely human. Leaving him as the very models of this store. 

The smile Yeosang gave him, shone bright in all it's horrifying glory. Even when his eyes were grey and lifeless. 

He feels entranced, like dark tendrils rooting him in place as Yeosang closes the distance between them. 

And it was too late. Whether it was madness or some other unknown force, Hongjoong relinquished all thoughts of escaping as a sudden calming presence enveloped him.

_Still beautiful,_ Hongjoong thought as he felt Yeosang's hand touch his cheek.

It was cold. The chill spreading across his skin quickly.

Hongjoong could do nothing else but close his eyes.

☆×☆×☆×☆×☆×☆×☆×☆

A group of friends had just grabbed ice cream, talking about nothing and everything at once when one of them suddenly stopped at the outfit displayed from a certain store. 

'Hottest Arrivals! Changes Everyday' was stamped by the window. The dummy wore round specs, which probably wasn't prescription, and had just about the cutest beret that looked similar to a strawberry. It's face graced with a peaceful smile, like it acquiesced to it's fate. 

"Girl check out this cute outfit!" She calls out to the other two. 

"Oh rad, they even gave it a manicure." The other points out the way the mannequin had one finger painted. 

Before they could argue on who's going to buy it, a deep voice coughed to grab their attention. 

"Are you interested in this outfit, ma'am?"

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading until the end!
> 
> Wishing you all a Merry Christmas. Stay safe!
> 
> Edit: forgot to plug my [twt](https://twitter.com/iceyonao3?s=09) acc


End file.
